Machine for operating upon shoe parts



Nov; 16, 1937. c. H. JAMES ET AL MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOE PARTS Filed March 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 16, 1937. CH, JAMES ET AL 2,099,017

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOE PARTS Filed March 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT FFiCE MACHINE 'FOR OPERATING UPON SHOE PARTS Application :March 11, 1935, :Serial No. 10, :In Great Britain March 22, 1934 "13 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon shoe parts and is herein illustrated and described as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,984,453, granted December 18, 1934, on an application of Arthur Bates, William R. Barclay and George .Hazelton. The machine disclosed in that patent is adapted particularly to the scouring of the side and rear surfaces of heels and it comprises a pivotallyzmounted jack having a work holder in which a hee1.may be clamped, an endless scouring belt backed by a specially shaped presser roll, a templet mechanism associated with thejack for controlling the presentation of the heel'to .the scouring belt, and 'means .for rotating the work holder to cause all portions of the side and rear surfaces of the heel to be brought progressively into operating position relatively to the scouring instrumentalities.

It is an object of the present invention to pro- 'vide .an improved machine of the character above indicated.

' In accordance with a feature of the invention there is provided a universally pivoted work support which carries a templet engageable with an abutment to position a work piece in the work support relatively to an operating tool, the work support being acted upon by a spring to urge the work piece into engagement with the operating tool and to urge the templet against the abutment, and the abutment being movable from a position wherein the work piece does not engage the operating tool to a position wherein the Work piece can engage the tool. By reason of this construction, the position of the woiksupport is at all times controlled by the templet and by the abutment, even before engagement between the operating tool and the work piece takes place, sothat the work piece as it enters into engagement with the operating tool Will be correctly positioned relatively thereto. A stop is provided for limiting the movement of the abutment under the influence of the spring to determine the operating position of the work piece. Means are also provided in the illustrated machine for moving the abutment and thereby the work support in opposition to the spring into a position wherein the work piece is removed from the operating tool to facilitate the replacement of the work piece.

In accordance with a further feature, there is provided a templet having at one end an outline corresponding approximately to that of the attaching surface of a heel to be operated upon,

and at its other end an outline corresponding approximately to that of the tread surface of the heel, which outlines have a twist relatively to each other about an axis which corresponds to the 'heightwise axis of the heel.

In accordance with a still further feature, means are provided for reciprocating the backing roll which supports the scouring belt against the pressure of the work. Such reciprocation enables the scouring belt to reach all portions of the surface to be operated upon. In the illustrated machine the backing roll is reciprocated in timed relation to the rotation of the work holders.

These and other features of the invention will be more particularly pointed out and described in the accompanying specification and drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of an improved heel scouring machine embodying the invention;

Fig.2 is a plan view of certain parts of the machine as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is .a view in front elevation of a portion of the machine showing an improved templet for controlling the position of a work support;

Fig. 4 is a view in sideelevation of the templet shownin Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a spring mechanism which acts upon the work support.

As already stated, the present invention is described and illustrated as embodied in an improved machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,984A53. This improved machine, except as otherwise described and illustrated herein, is similar in construction and mode of operation to the machine disclosed 'in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, to which reference may be had for a complete disclosure of such portions of the machine as are not fully described and illustratedherein. For convenience of illustration, the portions of the improved machine which are similar to corresponding portions of the machine disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent are indicated in the drawings by dot and dash lines while the improvements are indicated by solid lines. Such similar portions, moreover, are identified herein by the same reference characters as the corresponding portions disclosed in said Letters Patent.

In both the illustrated machine and the machine disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, the scouring element consists of an abrading belt 3 which is supported by a pair of driven pulleys 545 and 541 respectively. The pulley 54'! is mounted upon a shaft journaled in fixed bearings in the frame of the machine and the pulley 545 is mounted upon a shaft journaled in bearings upon the end of a bracket 529 which is pivotally supported upon a pair of arms 583 which extend upwardly from the frame of the machine. For supporting the securing belt B against the pressure of the work, there is provided a presserroll P which is shaped to conform to the contour of the side and rear surfaces of a heel to be scoured. The work-support of the improved machine consists of a jack J which is pivoted for universal movement upon a fixed support 603 carried by a bracket 605 secured upon the frame of the machine. The universal pivot for the jack J consists of a pin 595 upon which the jack itself is pivotally mounted and which, in turn, is supported by a block which is trunnioned in the support 603 about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the presser roll P and intersecting the axis of the pin 595. There is provided a work holder for a heel H, comprising a heel clamp having a portion in the form' of a shaft 613 which is journaled in the jack J. There is also pro-.

vided a templet holder having a portion in the form of a shaft 693 which also is journaled in the jack J. The work holder andthe templet holder are given a movement of rotary oscillation in unison about their respective axes by a mecha nism which is carried by the jack J and which is operated by the rotary oscillation of a telescoping bar 663. The purpose of such rotary oscillation of the work holder is to rotate the heel to be operated upon from one heel breast line to the other to enable all portions of the side and rear surfaces of the heel to be brought progressively into operating position relatively to the presser roll P. As the heel H is rotated, a templet T in the templet holder is rotated in unison with it. The templet bears against an abutment and controls the position of the jack J in such a manner as to present each portion of the surface of the heel in 'a proper angular relation to the presser roll P. The beltB, the pulleys 545 and 54'! together with theirdriving mechanism, the bracket 529, the arms 503, thepresser roll P, the jack J, together with its pivotal mounting and its work holder and templet holder, and the mechanism for imparting rotary oscillation to the work holder and the templet holder, together with the bar 653 and its driving mechanism, are all similar to corresponding portions of the machine described and illustrated in the abovementioned Letters Patent.

In the illustrated machine, the abutment for the above-mentioned templet consistsof a pair of rolls H 3 which are like the abutment rolls similarly numbered in the above-mentioned Letters Patent. In the machine herein illustrated,

however, the rolls H3 are carried upon a swinging arm 10 which is mounted for pivotal movement about a pin l 2 carried by a support is which is rigidly secured to the member 683. An extension l6 of the arm I 0 continues downwardly below the rolls H3 and is connected by a uni versal pivot joint [8 to a rod 253. Pivotally mounted upon the lower end of the pin 95 is a cross bar 22 (Figs. 1 and 5). An arm 24 which extends downwardly from the upper portion of the bracket 605 has pivotally mounted upon. it a cross bar 26. A spring 28 connects one end of the cross bar 26 with one end of the cross bar 22 of the cross bar 26 with the other end of the cross bar 22. The effect of the springs 28 and 35 is to rotate the jack J in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1 to bring a work piece in the work holder into operative position relatively to the scouring instrumentalities and also to hold the templet T against the abutment rolls H 3. This construction insures equal tension of the springs 28 and 30. The jack is thus in balance relatively to the axis of the pin 595. Threaded through an extension of the support I4 is a stop' screw 32 which is engageable with alug 34 formed upon the arm I 0. The stop screw 32 thus adjustably limits the movement of the jack J under the influence of the springs 28 and 30 and determines the operative position of the work piece. The rod 20 is operated by mechanism similar to corresponding mechanism disclosed in the abovementioned Letters Patent to swing the jack J in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. l) in opposition to the springs 28 and 30 at theend of a scouring operation to facilitate removal and replacement of a heel in the work holder. When the next scouring operation is to begin the rod 28 is released and the springs 28 and 30 then operate to swing the jack into operating position. It will be observed that in the present improved construction, as distinguished from the construction disclosedin the above-mentioned Letters Patent, the rod 20 is not connected directly to the jack J, but to the support for the abutment rolls H3. It therefore operates upon the jack through the abutment rolls and the templet. As a result of this improved construction the templet is at all times that the jack, as the work piece approaches the of the templet and the abutment rolls. All danger of the work piece striking against the scouring instrumentalities before being properly orientated by the templet is thus avoided, inasmuch as the work piece will necessarily be maintained in proper angular relation to the scouring instrumentalities as it enters into engagement with them. V

The presser roll P is mounted in the lower end on a lever 36 which corresponds to the member 5'55 of the machine disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent. Formed upon the lever 36 are a pair of bearings 33 (Figs. 1 and 2). A pin 49, which is fixed in the arm 52 9, extends through the bearings 38. The bearings 38 and the pin 40 are constructed and arranged not only for pivotal movement of the lever 36 about the axis of the pin, but also for movement of the lever in the direction of the axis of the pin. Integral with the lever 35 and extending upwardly from one or" the bearings 38 is an arm 42 to which is attached one end of a spring M. The opposite end of the spring 44 is attached to the bracket 529 by a device which is similar to a corresponding device in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, and which is constructed and arranged for adjustment of the tension of the spring 44. The ellect or the spring 44 is to swing the arm 35 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1. Threaded through a lug'in the extension 42 is a stop screw 55 having an end which bears against the bracket 529 to limit the swinging movement of the bracket 35 under the influence of the spring M.

"The joint effect of the springs 28 and 30 is suincient to overcome the tension of the spring 44, so that when the jack is swung into operating position by the springs 28 and 39, the presser in engagement with the abutment rolls H 3 so roll P will yield as the work piece presses .against it. As previously stated, the operating position of the jack is determined by the adjustable stop screw 32. The pressure of the scouring belt B against the work piece depends upon the tension of the spring 44, which, as already stated, may be adjusted. As material is abraded from the work piece, the spring 44 will keep advancing the presser .roll and will thereby maintain the pressure of the scouring belt against the work piece until the stop screw #9 limits the advance of the presser roll (if the jack has not already been withdrawn automatically to reloading position). The scouring action will then cease. It is thus evident that the amount of material which can be secured from a heel surface can be limited by adjustment of the stop screw 49 irrespective of how many times the heel is oscillated while in operating position.

As has already been pointed out, the contour of the pressure roll P is such as to enable it to conform to the curvature of the side and rear surfaces of the heel to be operated upon. However, in many types of heel. this curvature is'not always exactly the same at all portions and consequently, in order to enable the securing belt B to engage all portions of the heel surface, it is desirable to impart a 'reciprocatory movement to the roll P n timed relation to the rotary movement of the heel. In order to obtain such reciprocatory movement, a bracket 48 is mounted upon a gear 811 which is like the gear similarly numbered in the above-mentioned Letters Patent. and which imparts rotary oscillation to the rod 963. A sleeve 50 is mounted for rotation upon the bracket 529 about the pivotal axis of the bracket 529. A rod 52 communicates rotary oscillation from the bracket 48 to the sleeve 59. The rod '52 is connected at its ends to the respective members by means of universal joints of the ball and socket type. The connection of the lower end of the rod 52 with the bracket e8 is eccentric with respect to the axis of the gear 871, the bracket 48 thus constituting a crank. Extending upwardly from the sleeve 59 is a lug 54 which serves as an abutment for a stop screw 55 threaded through one end of a lever 58. The opposite end of the lever 58 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 68 secured in the bracket 529. A tension spring 62 having its ends secured in the lever 58 and the lug 54 respectively tends to hold the end of the screw 56 against the abutment 54. Formed in the lever 69 is a slot 84. Adjustably secured in the slot 64 is a pin 69 to which is pivotally connected one end of a rod 58. The position of the pin 66 in the slot 64 may be adjusted by loosening a clamping lever 18, shifting the pin to the desired position of adjustment and then tightening the clamping lever. The opposite end of the rod 68 is pivotally connected to an arm 12 of a bell crank which is fulcrumed upon a pin i4 secured in the bracket 529. The bell crank has another arm '46 which carries a roll 18 which is received in a slot formed on the extension 42 of the lever 36. It will be evident from the foregoing description that as the bell crank arm 76 is swung about its fulcrum 14 in timed relation to the movement of rotation of the heel to be scoured, the arm 35 will be reciprocated along the pin 49. The axis of the presser roll P is parallel to the axis of the pin 49, and the pressure roll P will accordingly be recinrocated in the direction of its axis. The amplitude of such reciprocation may be varied as desired by adjusting the position of the pin 66 in the slot 84 as above described.

At the completion of a scouring operation the jack J is withdrawn from operating position to enable an untreated heel to be inserted in the work holder; and at the beginning of the next scouring operation the jack J is released, enabling the springs 28 and 30 to swing it into operating position. Such withdrawal and release of the jack J is accomplished by automatic mechanism comprising a pin 85!. The rear end of the rod 20 is hooked for engagement with the pin 85!. At the beginning of a scouring operation the hooked end of the rod 20 is detached from the pin 85! by outward movement of a plunger 853 to release the jack J. The pin 85! and the plunger 853, together with their operating mechanisms, are similar to the parts having corresponding numbers in the machine disclosed in the abovementioned Letters Patent. At the end of a scouring operation, the hooked end of the rod 29 is swung into a position wherein it will be engaged by the pin 85l and moved rearwardly to withdraw the jack to reloading position. Such swinging movement of the rod 29 is accomplished in the illustrated machine by an arm 82 which is rigidly secured to the plunger 853 and which engages the rod 28 at a locality adjacent to the hooked end of the rod to press the rod inwardly to bring the hooked end into position to be engaged by the pin 85!.

The illustrated machine is provided with an improved templet for controlling the position of the jack J during the securing operation. This improved templet is indicated generally by the reference character T in Figs. 1 and 4 and is illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. It comprises a steel rod 81 of circular cross section having a length about equal to or slightly greater than the height of the class of heel to be scoured and having a metal plate 89 secured to one of its ends and another metal plate 9| secured to its other end. These plates are perpendicular to the axis of the rod. The plate 89 has an outline corresponding approximately to that of the tread surface of a heel to be operated upon, and the plate 9| has an outline corresponding approximately to that of the attaching surface of the heel. The outline of the rear portion of most heel tread surfaces is approximately an arc of a circle, and the corresponding portion of the outline of the plate 89 is also approximately an arc of a circle having its center in the axis of the rod 81. The axis of the rod 8'! of the templet therefore corresponds to the heightwise axis of a heel. The plates 89 and 9| are secured upon the rod 81 in a relation to each other which is somewhat similar to the relation between the tread and the attaching surfaces of a heel, except that in the templet there is a relative twist between the plates about the axis of the rod 81, which, as above stated, corresponds to the heightwise axis of the heel. This relative twist is illustrated in Fig. 3 and particularly in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 4, the plate 89 has a straight edge 93 and the plate 9| has a straight edge 95. These straight edges of the templet plates correspond to the breast surface of a heel, and the angle between them, which as shown in Fig. 4 is a sharply acute angle, represents the degree of relative twist between the two plates. It is to be understood that the edges 93 and 95, while herein illustrated as straight, are not necessarily so in all cases, and that the exact shapes of these edges will be determined by the shape of the particular type of heel to be scoured. Experiments have demonstrated that, contrary to what might be expected, a more uniform scouring is obtained by the use of a templet comprising plates having a relative twist than bythe useof a templet in the form of a model heel. Secured to the plate 89 is a sleeve 9'1. A pin 99 secures the sleeve 91 to'the rod 81. A similar sleeve Ill! is formed on the plate 9|, and 'a pin Hi3 secures the sleeve llll'to the rod 81. The illustrated machine is provided with mechanism similar to that disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent for holding the templet, comprising a pair of 'coaxial shafts 69I and 633 which engage opposite ends of the templet. In the illustrated machine, the templet T is mounted in this holding mechanism with the axis of the rod 81 coinciding with the axes of the'shafts 69! and 693, the ends of the rod BIbeing provided with suitably formed recesses to be engaged by the ends of the shafts 69! and B93 respectively to insure such coaxial mounting; To insure correct angular positioning of the templet, the rod 81 has a block H35 secured upon it beyond the attaching face of the plate 9!. The block N35 is embraced by a forked member ID! secured upon the end of the shaft 693, thereby fixing the angular relation of the templet with respect to the shaft 693. The block m5 is conveniently secured to the end portion of the rod 3'! by a set screw H39 which may be loosened when it is desired to alter the angular relation of the block to the other portions of the templet and thereby to alter the angular relation of the templet with respect to the shaft 693. V 1

It has already been stated that the plates 89 and 9] correspond approximately in outline to the outlines of the tread and attaching surfaces respectively of the heel to be secured; In some shapes of heels, however, it has been observed that in order to obtain thebest results, this correspondence of outline should be general only, and that the most eifective results are obtained when the plates are shaped to outlineswhich are not quite symmetrical about lines drawn from the rearmost points of the plates through the centers oftheir breast edges. The exact shape of the plates for any given type of heel is best obtainedby experiment. I V

Having described our inventiomwhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: v

1. A machine for operating on heels and like articles, comprising an operating tool, a work holder,

a support for said work holder, a pivotal mounting for said support constructed and arranged for tilting movement about one axis to enable said work holder to swing toward and from said operating tool and about another axis extending transversely of thefirst-mentioned axis to enable said work holder to assume varying angular aspects of presentation with respect to said operating tool, an abutment, means on saidsupport engageable'with said abutment to control the angular position of said support aboutboth of said axes, and resilient means tending to urge said support into a position wherein a work piece in said work holder engages the operating tool and wherein said position-controlling means engages said abutment, said abutment being movable to a cause said support to move about the first-mentioned axis in opposition to said resilientmeans into a position wherein the work piece is remote from the operating tool to facilitate .replacement of the work piece, said abutment and said. means engageable therewith serving to control the angular position of the support about the secondmentionedaxis upon movement of the support into operating position under the influence of said resilient means, whereby the replaced workpiece is presented to the operating tool in controlled angular position.

2. A machine for scouring heels and like articles comprising a scouring tool, a work support mounted for universal pivotal movement, a movable abutment, means on saidwork support engageable with said abutment to control the angular position of presentation relatively to said scouring tool of a heel carried by the work support, resilient means tending to urge said work support into a position wherein the heel engages the scouring tool and wherein said position controlling means engages said abutment, a stop engageable by said abutment to limit themovement.

position wherein the heel is remote from said scouring tool to facilitate replacement of theheel, said moving means being releasable to. enable said resilient means to move said work support, while the angular position of the work support is unden control of said abutment and of said means engageable therewith, into a position wherein the replaced heel engages the scouring tool.

3. A templet for use in machines for operating upon heels comprising a plate similar in outline:

to the outline of the attaching surface of a heel to be operated upon, a plate similar in outline to the tread surface of the heel, and a rod upon which said plates are secured in spaced relation to each other'by a distance substantially equal to thel height of the heel.

A. A templet for use in machines for operating upon heels, said templethaving at one. end an outline similar to that of the attaching surface of a heel to be operated upon, and at its other,

end an outline similar to that of the tread surface of the heel, said outlines being twisted through an acute angle relatively to each other about an axis which corresponds to the heightwise axis of the heel. a r V .5. A templet for use in machines for operating upon heels, comprising a plate aproximately similar in outline to the outline of the attaching surface of a heel torbe operatedupon, a plate similar in outline to the outline of the tread surface of.-

the heel, and means for securing said plates in a spaced relation to each other which is substantially similar to the relation between the attaching and tread surfaces of a heel, except that in the templet there is a relative twist between said-i plates about an axis which corresponds to the heightwiseaxis of the heel.

, 6.. An abrading machine comprisingan abrading tool, a work support, yieldable means for moving said work support to bring a work piece sup-1 ported by said worksupport into engagement with said abrading tool, an adjustable stop for limiting said movement of said work support, and a carrier for said abrading tool constructed and arranged to enable said abrading tool to yield,

ing tool, yieldable means acting upon said carrier to urge said abrading tool toward the work piece, and a stop engageable with said carrier ,to limit the movement of said abrading tool work piece.

toward the;

3. An abrading machine comprising an abrading tool, a work support, resilient means for moving said work support to bring a work piece supported by said work support into operative engagement with said abrading tool, a carrier for said abrading tool, a spring acting upon said carrier to urge said abrading tool against the work piece, an adjustable stop engageable with said work support to limit the movement of the work piece into operative position and thereby to limit the pressure of the abrading tool against the work piece, and an adjustable stop engageable with said carrier to limit the movement of said abrading tool against the work piece and thereby to limit the depth of the abrading action upon the work piece.

9. A machine for scouring heels and like articles, comprising a scouring belt, a pair of spaced members for supporting and driving said scouring belt, a backing member positioned between said supporting members for sustaining said scouring belt against the pressure of the work, said backing member being shaped to cause said scouring belt to conform substantially to the contour of the heel surface to be scoured, and means for reciprocating said backing member transversely of the direction of travel of the belt.

10. A machine for scouring heels and like articles, comprising a scouring belt, means for supporting and driving said scouring belt, an idler roll for supporting said scouring belt against the pressure of the work, said idler roll being shaped to cause said scouring belt, to conform substantially to the contour of the heel surface to be scoured, a support for said idler roll constructed and arranged to enable said idler roll to yield under pressure of the work, and means for reciprocating said support transversely with respect to said scouring belt to insure engagement of the scouring belt with all portions of the surface to be scoured.

11. A machine for scouring heels and like articles, comprising a scouring tool shaped to conform substantially to the contour of the side and rear surfaces of a heel to be scoured, a work holder, means for rotating said work holder to bring all portions of the side and rear surfaces of a heel in said Work holder progressively into position to be scoured by said scouring tool, and means for reciprocating said scouring tool in timed relation to the rotation of said work holder to insure engagement of said scouring tool with all portions of the surface to be scoured.

12. A machine for scouring heels and like articles, comprising a scouring belt, means for supporting and driving said scouring belt, an idler roll for supporting said scouring belt against thepressure of the work, said idler roll being shaped to cause said scouring belt to conform substantially to the contour of the heel surface to be scoured, a Work holder, means for rotating said holder to bring all portions of the side and rear surfaces of a heel in said Work holder progressively into position to be scoured by said belt, and means for reciprocating said idler roll axially in timed relation to the rotation of the Work holder to insure engagement of the scouring belt with all portions of the surface to be scoured.

13. In a machine for scouring heels and like articles, a driven rotary tool adapted to support an abrasive element against the pressure of the work and shaped to conform substantially to the contour of the side and rear surfaces of a heel to be scoured, means for reciprocating said tool axially to insure operation upon all of the surface to be scoured, and means for varying the extent of the reciprocating movement of said tool.

CYRIL HARRY JAMES. WILLIAM ISAAC BACON. 

